A General Update PDF Print E-mail
Written by VK0BP   
Thursday, 14 May 2009 01:48

Just thought I would post a bit of an update on how things are going down here. I am still making quite a few contacts although most of my activity has been during the weekend (Saturday after work, and Sunday). I do regularly join the ANZA DX Net on 14.183 daily at 05.15UTC, although I do not join in every day. This happens to be during my lunch break - so if I am running on schedule I can make it. Lately 20m has shown good propagation into Europe, North America, Africa, Australia, NZ and the Pacific region at that time of day. Some evening here I have also been active on 30m, 40m and 75m/80m with a little bit of success. As well as voice on SSB I have been operating a little bit of RTTY and SSTV as well. I think I have finally figured out RTTY;) Since I have been a bit quieter than over summer here, if you would like to try and arrange a sked at some stage feel free to send me an email request. I will try and organise them in groups to make it a bit more worthwhile. I can operate on most bands from here (80m - 10m, and will have a day or so to operate 160m next month, I will update you all on that), and I can operate most modes from here too, although my CW is very rusty so you would have to be very patient hihi

Just a reminder that this Sunday - 17th May, is World Telecommunications Day. It is my last opportunity to operate as AX0BP, so I plan on making as many contacts as possible once again. I will be active on 40m and 20m, but will also go to where-ever I can find some activity is the bands are quiet. I am still hoping to work some of the rarer countries with that callsign, so if you have not had a contact with AX0BP this is your last chance.

One favour to ask... A few people that I have had QSOs with have sent me an MP3 recording of the QSO. I am very thankful to those guys, and anyone else that feels like doing so - I would be more than happy to receive the email. It is a great way to see how the station here is getting out and sounding.

 

73 for now

Bob

VK0BP/AX0BP

 
 
ANZAC Day Summary PDF Print E-mail
Written by VK0BP   
Wednesday, 29 April 2009 04:04

I would like to pass on a big thanks to all that I had a QSO with on ANZAC Day. Whilst not as flat out as Australia Day I still made a fairly good number of contacts in my opinion.

Due to local commitments here my time on the air was no where near as much as it was on Australia Day - roughly it was a bit less than half. On station we had some of the typical ANZAC Day events such as rum and coffee first up in the morning followed by a dawn memorial service, brunch and then some two-up. We also had some movies on in the evening. All up was a very busy day for me, but most enjoyable. This just leaves World Telecommunications Day on the 17th of May for me to use AX0BP.

A quick summary of the day;

1.  I made a total of 282 contacts to 278 individuals (761 on Australia Day with 746 individuals - now a total of 1003 individuals), 

2.  Into 32 countries (70 countries on Australia Day - now a total of 75 countries)

3.  I had contact with 84 VK/AX Callsigns (38 on Australia Day)

4.  My first VK/AX contact on both Australia day and ANZAC Day was Laurie VK7ZE

5.  Band conditions were vastly different between Australia Day and ANZAC Day. On Australia Day no signals were heard on 40m and 20m was pretty much open all day, ANZAC Day saw me using 40m till 20m opened up, then back to 40m later on.

6. Local Conditions - Australia Day had 24 hours of daylight with a maximum temp of +11.2C, ANZAC Day there was roughly 7 hours of daylight and a maximum temp of -14C (which was the warmest day in 3 weeks).

 

I look forward to the challenges World Telecommunications Day will bring. I am sure that the band conditions will be vastly different once again, as will the temperature. Looking at sunrise/sunset times i can only expect about 4 hours of sunlight - so quite different even from now. 

I have now updated my online logs for both VK0BP and AX0BP callsigns and they are up-to-date as of the 27th April 2009.

 

Bob

VK0BP/AX0BP

 
Contacts to the Far North PDF Print E-mail
Written by VK0BP   
Tuesday, 21 April 2009 00:45
Yesterday, Monday 20th April, I had a contact with François F8DVD whilst he is operating as JW/F8DVD from Spitsbergen Island in Svalbard well inside the Artic Circle. The contact was on 20m, 14.195MHz and was quite a good signal 5/5 no problems at all. I would like to thank François for all of the effort he put in for setting up the contact prior to him leaving for Svalbard. I am more than happy to tee up a sked for anyone going on a DXpedition to somewhere unusual like this. Not only do I get to chat with the DXpedition station, they get a contact with someone on Antarctica. A win win situation Cool.

Once again, thanks to François it was very much appreciated. I hope to work you more before you leave.

Cheers,

Bob

VK0BP